Good morning all!! Sorry we have not been in touch but we have been without consistent internet service and are without a camera. Today is Friday, July 25 and we are presently in Dijon, France, a "launching pad" to Paris in the morning. Kathy had just had her second tour of the Dijon Police station. While getting passes on the tram in Nice to go to the train station, two girls asked Kathy for assistance. Apparently, her experience in the criminal mind did not help and she was relieved of her passport, driver's license, $300 in American cash (wait to they [View Full Entry]

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Greetings to all from the beautiful south of France, Nice to be exact. We left the Geissbach Hotel bright and early (7:00 a.m.) on Friday. We took a perilous ride (only to Kathy) down the mountain to the train station. Once there, we took a total of 3 trains over a period of 9 hours, stopping in every city in Switzerland, Italy and France before arriving in Nice at 4:30 p.m. For the first time, Kathy had to sit in 2nd Class and she was not too happy. We will make our base in Nice until Thursday. On Saturday, we headed [View Full Entry]

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Day 2 in Giessbach!! Well, what an adventure we have had. Slept through the night with the windows open to here the sound of the waterfall. Woke up at 10 to a little rain. Packed our bags for our journey down one floor to the Giessbach suite. We then took a walk down the mountain and caught the steamer for Interlaken where our laundry awaited. Had lunch and a couple of biere on the trip. Upon our arrival, the rain was even harder so we made our train reservations to the South of France and caught a train to Brienz, the [View Full Entry]

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The Waterfall is AMAZING! [View Full Entry]

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WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, we have finally arrived at the highlight of our trip - Giessbach. We got on a train to Zurich in Salzburg at 12:55 a,m. Luckily, the compartment was only a four sleeper and we had the bottom bunks so we crawled right in and attempted to get some shut eye. Our wake up call came at 6:30, approximately one and one-half hours before we would arrive. We got off the train in Zurich and immediately got on another train for Bern (one hour long trip). Once in Bern, we immediately hopped on another train for Interlaken. Once in Interlaken, [View Full Entry]

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The last time we talked, Robert and I were getting on a train to Salzburg, Mozart country. I have to say that as much as I have disliked the night trains, I have loved the day trains. You get to see a huge amount of the countryside and they serve wine to boot. Once we arrived in Salzburg at about 8 at night. we tried to find the hotel but no one seemed to know where it was, even though it is on the main street. Once there, we collapsed and stayed in our beds until 10 knowing that tonight, ,we [View Full Entry]

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Last Day & Night in Venice Robert and I woke up to the wonderful view from our room of the Grand Canal. Went off to view the Doges Palace - what a sight! I still can't get over how much these men revered themselves. A thunderstorm came through while we were in the palace. Went back to our room for couple of hours and then decided to go have a cocktail before getting ready for dinner and a gondala ride. Robert had washed all of his undies which he had hanging from the shower curtain rod - picked them up and [View Full Entry]

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Drinks and Dinner in Vienna on our last night. Robert and I got all dolled up to go to dinner - he even bought some new shoes for the occasion. We glide over to the Haus Haus for drinks and our dinner reservations in an hour. Lovely view of Vienna and Kathy's favorite, St. Stevens'. Have a few cosmos (hard to find in Europe) and then go to dinner. Well, they must not have been impressed with us because they told us to wait, and to wait - after one half hour, Robert walked out, with Kathy in tow. These hoi [View Full Entry]

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First Day and Night in Venice. Up at 5:00 a.m. on the train, awaiting our 8:30 a.m. arrival in Venice. A stunning view from the train. Caught a water taxi to the hotel. Of course, our room was not yet ready so we stored out bags and went for a small breakfast and then walked around. The number of tourists here is staggering and of course, it looks like more because the walkways are small. Found a great shop when a man handmakes his masks and they are quite unusual. Robert bought one. Went back to the hotel, showered and on [View Full Entry]

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Tour of Hofburg Palace and Night Train to Venice Today, we toured Hofburg Palace, and the Imperial Apartments. Well, the Austrians sure made a fuss over Elizabeth (Sisi) after she died. She did not seem to care much for Vienna, court life, husband or children while she was alive. Robert and I have diagnosed her as suffering from depression. Went to lunch and had some wine. Have discovered that the wine here is quite light and lovely with lunch. Went on to the train station to board our wagon for the 12 hour trip to Venice (8-8). Kathy fell asleep very [View Full Entry]

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